Particulate emissions by diesel-engine vehicles became a subject of great concern to both environmental regulators and the automotive industry during the late 1970's and early 1980's. The concern was prompted by the low supply of oil and the introduction of diesel engines in a greater number of models of passenger cars and light trucks. At the time, it was thought to be a wide trend toward dieselization. Although diesel engines are normally more expensive than gasoline engines, they are also much more efficient and, hence, the value of the higher efficiency propelled their popularity during that period. The prospect of greatly increased numbers of diesel vehicles, especially in urban areas, generated concern about the impact of diesel particulate emissions on ambient air quality. Diesel particulate material is easily respired, incorporates potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals, and strongly absorbs light leading to degraded visibility in some areas. In response to these concerns, regulations by various agencies were promulgated.
In response to the need to reduce diesel particulate emissions, vehicle and engine manufacturers began to attempt to reduce the amount of particulate matter generated by the engine and/or to remove the particulate matter from the exhaust gas. The latter approach is relevant to the present invention. The latter approach in general uses a device known as a trap-oxidizer. A trap-oxidizer system generally includes a temperature resistant filter (the trap) from which particulates are periodically burned off (oxidized), a process commonly known as regeneration. The traps must be regularly regenerated so as not to become excessively loaded and create an undesirable back pressure thereby decreasing engine efficiency. Since the particulate material captured by the trap is mainly carbon and hydrocarbons, its chemical energy is high. Once ignited, it burns readily and releases a large amount of heat.
Possible traps for capturing diesel particulate emissions primarily include cellular ceramic elements (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,071) and catalytic wire-mesh devices (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,269). The present invention uses cellular ceramic filter elements.
Trap-oxidizer regeneration systems can be divided into two major groups on the basis of control philosophy. One group is positive regeneration systems; the other group is self-regeneration systems. Positive regeneration systems are relevant to the present invention and have included use of a fuel fed burner (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,852), use of an electric heater (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,270,936; 4,276,066; 4,319,896; and British published application No. 2,134,407) and detuning techniques which aim to raise the temperature of exhaust gas temperature at selected times (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,211,075 and 3,499,260). Self generation systems are directed to the use of fuel-additives containing catalytic metals or the use of catalytic treated traps to lower the ignition temperature of the captured particulates.
Although, as indicated, there has been effort directed to reducing the emission of diesel particulates, a simple, reliable and efficient trap system has not been available. Prior art systems have tended to be an aggregation of items which when linked together theoretically are directed to solving the problem. None of the known systems, however, are directed to the total exhaust problem, that is, both muffling sound and making emissions environmentally acceptable.